We walk into City Pork mid afternoon on Sunday, and it’s packed. Luckily, there are two free spots on the bar, so we ask the host if we can snag those. Of course we can. Excellent.
The bar is bustling with families and friends who have come for City Pork’s famous charcuterie. We start with a cocktail, which is excellent and bodes well for the dinner service. The waitress gives us her opinion on the sandwiches (because honestly, it’s hard to choose). The “Big Pig,” for which City Pork is most well known, is good, she says. But it’s just another pork sandwich. For something special, she suggests Brisket. If we need a nap, try a Pork Belly Hoagie (that would be coffee-braised pork belly, house bacon, mustard greens, and smoked cheddar on Cuban bread). As tempted as we are by the pork belly, we need to do things after this.
So we go with the Brisket. But first, a salad and some wings. Because, balance. The fresh green salad is sprinkled with bacon lardons and a tangy pepper jelly vinaigrette. There are also a few slices of radishes and halved cherry tomatoes. The Sticky Wings are generous in portion (there are 10), and not too heavily dressed with a cane cola-ginger chili glaze. The meat is juicy and the sauce sweet and slightly spicy.
The Brisket sandwich usually comes with Cajun-toasted house potato chips, but we decide to go with mac ‘n’ cheese, because it feels more true to the barbecue theme. It’s served in a small mason jar and topped with crunchy bread crumbs; be sure to dig deep, because the creamy jalapeño cheese that falls to the bottom is worth mixing up.
I am not usually a brisket fan, but this is one of the best I’ve tasted. After being smoked for 14 hours and sliced incredibly thin, it’s layered atop a super light, slightly sweet, and ever-so-squishy brioche bun. A mix of pickled onions and sweet pickles create an interesting dichotomy of sweet and sour with the same general texture. Horseradish cream is spicy enough to pull everything together.
I look forward to coming back for a charcuterie plate and that pork belly sandwich (when we need a nap).
Sunday | 11am - 8pm |
Monday | 6:30am - 9pm |
Tuesday | 6:30am - 9pm |
Wednesday | 6:30am - 9pm |
Thursday | 6:30am - 9pm |
Friday | 6:30am - 10pm |
Saturday | 11am - 10pm |
Other Nearby Restaurants
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Bergeron’s Boudin and Cajun Meats
Port Allen, LouisianaBergeron’s is a remote Cajun boucherie and restaurant where everything is cooked with essence of smoke. Don’t miss the famous chicken patties.
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Legnon’s Boucherie
New Iberia, LouisianaA regular award winner for boudin perfection and a practical community center, Legnon is a Cajun country legend.
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Poor Boy Lloyd’s
Baton Rouge, LouisianaA well-worn Creole cafe in the heart of Downtown Baton Rouge, Poor Boy Lloyd’s serves textbook po boys & cannon Louisiana cooking with frosted chalices of beer.
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Parrain’s Seafood
Baton Rouge, LouisianaParrain’s is a nouveau roadhouse serving Gulf-fresh fish and Creole seafood classics as well as cheap drinks and superb sides.
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Christina’s Restaurant
Baton Rouge, LouisianaIn the shadow of the governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge, Christina’s is a charming cafe that serves country breakfast and lunch that feel small-town.
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Triplet’s Blue Store II
Baton Rouge, LouisianaA spin-off of a roadside chicken shack, catering to LSU students and savvy locals who know that this little shack has destination-worthy fried chicken.